Amazing Coincidence

Amazing Race has and always will be one of my favourite shows.
I would give anything to experience that adventure as you do not only see half the world but it is competitive and some serious decisions have to be made!

Needless to say I follow each episode like a hawk and while watching the episode on the 31st of January I saw something that really made me sit upright.
One of the “next weeks” highlights that get shown after the episode showed how one of the competitors abseils down into a cave…it looked very familiar to say the least!

I had a few months ago in September 2005 gone caving with some friends in a cave called “Bats Cave”. The company that took us in was ‘Wild Cave Adventures’ and it started pretty hectic with a 16 metre abseil into nothingness!
The shot I saw on TV looked very similar to the one you see above but I thought what are the chances first of all that this amazing (excuse the pun) show would come to a third world country and secondly do a road block near my home town.

The following Tuesday I get a mail from Wild Cave Adventures which is pretty normal as I am on their distribution list for upcoming events and specials. But as I start reading the first line; it went something like “…we have waited so long to tell you this…” I knew that what I saw on TV was after all Bats Cave!
Immediately I jumped up and told those at work who went with me to the cave, I then jumped on the phone and told all my other friends and family that tonight they do not dare miss this episode of Amazing Race!

Needless to say it was a great episode and the thing that impressed me the most was how helpful and friendly the South African public were to these very lost Americans.
The weird part was when I found out that this episode was already shot in November 2004 so I went down into Bats Cave long after they did, I am just glad I was not the guy that had to keep it a secret all that time!
I just cant wait to go down again as they now have the ‘Amazing Race’ excursion where the guides are those that helped the Americans around and you follow there exact route to get to their next clue, I am sure they will show me where the old lady fell and cracked her nut as well.

Slip Sliding Away

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" He called a child, whom he put among them, and said, "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me." Matthew 18:1-5

Well I did this this weekend but not in the biblical sense.
I ended up at the Ice Rink with a deep knowledge that today I will not be sitting on the side line laughing at old folks trying their hand at skating again but would rather be joining them!!
I knew I was in trouble when I put these “new age” skates on made of hard plastic, last time I did this (20 odd years ago) the skates were made of leather and I couldn’t get the boot tied due to the laces being replaced with plastic straps.

There was further concern for me as I stood up and started walking to the nearest entrance/exit to the ice, I was seriously battling to keep my balance and after a few trips I almost greeted the wet rubber floor.
Needles to say that before I put a blade on the ice I had my nails sunk into the side barrier, it was a sad first round as I had five year old girls asking me if I could let them go past! My greatest problem was the skates wanting to fly out from under me until I realised that I am way to upright for this exercise, on the second round I lent a bit forward and things improved considerably.
I started venturing away from the barrier and realised it is easier to keep your balance with one hand not scraping the paint of the side of the rink. By the third round it all came back to me and I even started pushing with my skates to pick up speed, there after I never looked back and was skating like a ‘pro’.
As long as nobody turned in front of me all of a sudden (as my evasive skill was not that good) I was doing alright and with my dry bum had earned the right to stick my tongue out at five year old girls as I was now whizzing by them!

Over all it was an event to remember and I actually challenge anybody that is thirty something (or older) and was not a teenage figure skater to go and try Ice Skating just one last time before that hip replacement does not allow the opportunity!